Sad Oneshots
by WeLiedAboutTheCookies
Summary: A bunch of sad SNK/AOT oneshots. There is no particular storyline, and none of them have anything to do with the other.
1. Chapter 1

He sighed from his spot sitting at the window bar. A coffee was sitting a few inches away from his crossed arms, which were covered with a black leather jacket he'd grown to like. The cars outside whizzed by on the road, and his steel-grey eyes watched intently. His jet-black undercut was slightly ruffled from the wind from outside, in the slightly darkening cloudy enviornment. He didn't bother fix it though. He didn't care.  
He was one of the only people in the shop, save for two or three students on their laptops, the cashier, and the machine worker, who was preparing a new tub of hot chocolate to be inserted into its holder.

The door swung open, letting in a rush of cold air. He didn't bother look at who had entered. It had to be the middle-aged waitress who often came on her way home from work.  
"One caramel latte please." A young voice stated to the cashier.

He couldn't help but notice how different it sounded from the haughty tone of the waitress. He still didn't bother look. New customers were common, since the shop was so near the busy road. He reached forward and grabbed the rim of the cup with the tips of his fingers, a familiar movement. He picked it up; his long, narrow nose sticking through the arch of his palm as he sipped the now cold beverage.

He listened to the old coffee machine whir loudly behind him, and he pushed the half empty coffee away, crossing his arms on the counter and once again and resuming his duty of staring out the window. After a few minutes it stopped, the young woman paid and began to march towards the door a few stools away from him. The bells tied to the handle jangled slightly, before they stopped, and the door was shut before it could open wide enough for a person to exit. He heard the clacking of low heels grow near.  
He reached forward to snatch the coffee cup up once again, drawing it to his lips to take a sip.

"Heichou?"  
He stopped, choking on his drink slightly.  
He placed it down adruptly, turning on the stool to glance down and meet eye contact with a small woman, only a few inches shorter than he was, by his estimate, which was still reasonably short. Shoulder length strawberry blonde hair was streightened over the folds of her puffy grey jacket, and she wore a short black pencil skirt with small grey heels. Her amber eyes bored into him, and a small smile grew on her face.

His eyes narrowed at the warm smile and familiar nickname.  
There was a long pause.  
"I said I would find you now matter what." She said, seemingly relieved, almost on the verge of happy tears.

He turned back to his coffee, facing the window blankly.  
"And like the last five lifetimes, I said I didn't want to be found." He said coldly. He could feel the woman's smile falter, the room growing cold and tense.  
"And like the last five lifetimes, I said I didn't care." She responded. She seemed heated, the small cup in her hand crackling under her steel grip.  
He turned to look at her, his eyes growing ever narrower. "Just leave. Leave me alone, and forget this ever happened." He hissed.  
"Do you think I can leave you again?" She asked, her eyes narrowing as well, staring up at him, her face growing red. "Five times. _Five times._ " She growled. "Five times I said okay. I surrendered. And now what? You keep telling me to leave! Why?"  
He gritted his teeth. "Just-"  
"No!" She interupted, causing the cashier to glance up slightly. "You tell me. You tell me right here and right now!"

He glanced around, now aware of the impending stare the students now had nailed on his back. He was about to retort, but another glance at her flustered expression caused him to sigh loudly.  
"Every time I look at you, I remember that mission. Oi?" He looked at her, his mouth a thin, angry line, though his eyes were gazing at the ground. "I remember the day that I lost you. And you know what? Whenever I look at you I know _I can't live with myself_." His voice cracked as a lump formed in his throat.  
Her eyes seemed to soften as he looked up at her. "That's what the guys said too. They were really depressed about it, when they found out. They really want to see you again. Eren especially." She put a hand on his shoulder, but he pulled away, putting his head in his arms.  
"Heichou... we _miss_ you. Please come back, Levi." She pulled out the stool next to him and sat on it, putting a hand on his back.

He adruptly stood though, brushing her hand away roughly and stalking out the door. He marched down the sidewalk, the wind tousling his hair further. He shoved his hands in his pocket, setting his jaw, his eyes narrowing. He glanced back, letting them grow wet slightly. The wind bit at his face, but he kept walking alongside the road, towards his apartment. He tried to focus on other things, the annoying cracks in the pavement, the numberless pebbles lining the edges of the road, the old weeds that had been left unattended.

He heard loud footsteps behind him. How the woman ran in those heels, he had no idea, but it was clear she was panting.  
"Levi!" She called, and he soon found the hand on his shoulder. She pulled him towards her, his posture twisting to face her. He didn't look at her though, his head hanging low to his chest.

"Look at me." She said softly, taking his chin and pushing it up so she could see his face. His cheeks were blotted, his eyes red from crying. "You don't have to think that now. Okay? I'm here. I'm okay. I'm _alive_."  
"I can't stop thinking about it." He said, ignoring the cars that raced by. "I just _can't._ I-I..." His voice faltered.  
"Just let it out." She said softly, putting her hands on his shoulders and drawing him close.  
"I can't lose you again." He whispered into her hair.  
"You won't." She said. "I promise, you won't."  
He sniffled quietly, unused to expressing so much emotion. Long ago he'd learned that emotion was a weakness, and before that he felt as if he'd bled out all of his emotions through loss and battle scars. But with every new body, every day he woke up he realized more than ever, he really, _really_ needed to cry.  
"It's a TV show now." She said. "Everything that happened... it's just something from someone's imagination. We all watched it... and, well... I guess you figured it out right?" She said quietly.  
He nodded.

The loud screeching of brakes inturrupted the two. A van door slid open loudly.  
"Levi!" A chorus of voices sounded from inside the vehicle.  
He looked up, seeing the familiar faces of his friends.

And for the first time in four-hundred-and-seventy-two years, he smiled. Because he really could. It wasn't forced or fake. A real, genuine smile.

He climbed in the car, suddenly flooded with a chorus of voices and hugs and loud, happy greetings that he hadn't heard for a very long time.  
He glanced at the woman as she climbed in, and she smiled at him. He placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"Thank you, Petra."


	2. Chapter 2

The strawberry blonde sat on the bench uncertainly, her amber eyes glued to the pristine white floor as she worried. She had a dreading feeling, almost as if the pit of her stomach had sunk to the floor and bounced back up quickly, leaving her spinning on her toes without anyone to catch her.  
She let out a breath, a shaky sigh, blinking slowly, and then continuing to stare at the small shapes made from the cracks in the floor.

She whirled around as she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
A young, tall, black haired teen sat next to her, brown eyes boring into hers, his face splashed with freckles. He had a gently smile as he sat down, turning to look at her.  
"I haven't ever seen you around before." He said cheerily. "Are you looking for someone?"

She shrugged, looking at the floor again.  
"I guess... I mean, I'm not quite sure how to get anywere." She replied.  
He laughed lightly. "It's okay. It's a bit tricky at first, but when you get the hang of it..."  
He helped her to her feet.  
"Just think about were you want to go." He said, holding her hands in front of her.  
"Okay..." She screwed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth slightly. She could feel the enviornment change around her, becoming slightly cooler, a small breeze blowing through her shoulder length hair. It didn't seem to effect her, even though she felt it, which caused her to open her eyes.

The boy was standing beside her now, absorbing the view. The two stood in a small clearing, outside a castle like compound, it's large blue and grey roofs towering over the large coniferous and decidous trees that were scattered about, grouping farther away into a large forest. A small group of people stood about. They were cleaning a various collection of things, polishing the windows, trimming the hedges, clearing pine needles and leaves from the roofs. Her eyes easily flitted over each face, trying ot find who she was looking for as the pair went unnoticed.

She saw him, her man, standing in the window and watching solemnly, not helping as he would usually be. His arms were crossed behind his back, his face gaunt, his hair slightly less groomed than usual, even though it looked as if he had attempted to throw himself together.  
"There." She said, smiling softly. She pointed to him, and the boy who had helped her glanced up. He let his eyes widen.  
"Him? Lance Corporal Levi?" He asked, eyeing the man with a dreadful respect.  
"Yeah. He's really close, you know?"  
The boy nodded and followed as she walked through a wooden door, that had been propped open with a hallow metal bucket. She walked down the hall, and up two flights of dark spruce stairs.

The boy continued to follow, as if making sure the young woman got to were she needed to. She ran her hand along the railing, only slightly disturbing the small dust particles that had managed to survive the cleaning regiment. She smiled as she walked quickly down the familiar hallways. She stopped though, just outside an almost empty room.  
Inside a brown haired woman stood by a bed, which was made and untouched. She was going through trinkets and books, setting a few measly objects aside, occasionaly stopping to look at a picture or journal. Ever so slowly, however, the box next the woman filled up with old, unused, dusty things.

"Is that yours?" The boy asked questioningly.  
The strawberry blonde nodded, her amber eyes growing soft at the sight of her roommate packing for her. She hadn't been able to visit the exctatic, goggled scientist; and knew she had to visit the woman next, after she dropped by to check on her man.  
She continued on, stopping outside a door. She glance gratefully at the boy, who gestured for her to open the door. Her pale hands landed on the handle, and she pushed the small thing open, letting it creak as it swung to almost hit the wall behind it.

The man turned around slightly, letting her get a better look at his face.  
His eyes had dark bags underneith, and were slightly puffy and red, as if he'd been crying. His nose looked sunburnt, which was uncommon, he was very good about keeping his skin in check. His hair was slightly unruly today, sticking up in the back as if he'd just awoken. His cravat was slightly looser than usual, and most concerning of all, he wasn't cleaning, the only thing he took pleasure in, other than being on a mission.

He strode past the two, seemingly annoyed at the chilling breeze that gushed into the room as the door opened. He shut it, and then resumed his post at the window, watching sternly.  
"Heichou?" She asked softly, reaching out a desperate hand, as if unsure she should comfort him or not.  
He looked around, quickly at first, before chuckling at himself.  
"Must be hearing things..." He muttered to himself, glancing back out the window.

Her gaze fell to the floor in a crestfallen action. How come he hadn't noticed her presence?  
"Don't worry." The boy said. "It's normal."  
"Oh..." She said, though still dissapointed. "Can I write to him or something?"  
The boy smiled sadly. "I tried that once... it didn't really work."  
She glanced at her man, who was still standing by the window.  
He sighed. "They can't see us, and if we try hard, they can hear us... but... we don't exist here anymore. We're just memories."

"Well... I should probably be going. I've got a few more people to-uhm... visit." She said, leaving the room, the boy following as a shaky sigh escaped her throat. She was about to continue on when he stopped her.  
"I didn't catch your name." He said. "I'm Marco. Marco Bodt"  
"Oh! You're right." She smiled brightly. "I'm Petra Ral. It's nice to meet you."


	3. Chapter 3

The storm raged loudly.  
Thunder bore against the rigid glass panes in the windows, rain pattering loudly against the stone bricks of the fortress, the occupants inside cozying up next to the numerous and large fireplaces and filling the near silent compund with the gentle sound of insistant chattering echoing about and muffling through the floors and hallways. The soft orange lighting of torches in the halls every once and a while still causing it to be dim. Grey light filtered in through the windows, casting round black shadows from the raindrops splattered on them whenever a bit of lightning struck.

The dining hall was almost black, a single occupant sitting at a table near the large oaken doors to the room. They were shut, and not even the candle placed in the center of the table was lit. Large wooden beams criss crossed around near the ceiling, the narrow windows on one side of the room lighting up brightly as yet another bolt of lightning struck the ground in the distance.

The occupant had his head in his hands, staring down at rigid table. He'd most likely memorized every single groove in the table top, he'd been staring at it for so long. A tea cup sat near one of his elbows, its contents untouched. It had long since grown cold, and he didn't want to drink it anyway.  
His raven black hair was slightly unkempt, though he had long since abandoned the paperwork sitting on his desk in his office. There though, it felt too lonely. There were no memories for him to look back on, no words to rehear, no wonderful moments to silently relive.

Then again, it wasn't as if he could gain any more.

His steel grey eyes continued to analyze the spotless surface over and over, slowly trying to sort out his thoughts enough and not invoke too many memories at once. He knew that if that was the case, he would become overwhelmed.  
Long ago he'd learned that any good memories shouldn't be kept, especally after an event such as this. He glanced at the four, now cold badges spread about haphazardly on the table before him. A small square box sat next to the one closest to him. The familiar symbol of freedom, the blue and white wing, now seemed lifeless and pointless in the dark of the room, with simply him and no one else willing to come and speak to him.  
He understood though.  
It was common for him to be easily angered or simply emotionless in situations such as these. And it also seemed like everyone had moved on.

Many others who knew them seemed to have simply forgotten, adjusted to life without their presence, or only grieved alone. Most others had also lost someone, but it was easy -at least seemingly- for them to get over it.  
Erwin wasn't someone to care, he knew, the man had witnessed it enough to know how painful it was in the aftermath. He had managed to get through it all while others around him didn't make it, leaving him alone on top.  
Eren had his friends and his sister still, and it seemed as if he didn't really care. There wasn't a day when he didn't see the teenager with his companions, laughing about something stupid in the courtyard to poking some friendly teasing at close friends. Eren would wave it him whenever he was in the halls, though he would never respond, shooting an angry glare and causing the teen to flinch away, aware of what punishment awaited if he seemingly aggrivated the man.

He let out an empty sigh.  
Something about the room screamed of a home and a family he had never truly had. Something always drew him into this room, albiet the smell of fresh made tea or coffee, the buzz of friendly conversation, or simply the warmth when a large group of people was there.

He didn't move when the large door creaked open slightly, before shutting once again with a quiet but apparent thud.  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Eren gently press the door closed, and begin to walk over to him. The teen looked disgruntled, wild dark brown hair even wilder, large blue-green eyes half lidded and facing the floor. His steps were slow as he drew closer, and at this point he would have said something along the lines of 'leave me be, brat', but for some reason when he opened his mouth, he found he couldn't speak.

Eren sat down on the bench next to him, his back to the table.  
He didn't say anything for a long time, until the words finally tumbled out of his mouth.  
"Levi... are you okay?"

Levi glanced up at the unexpected words just in time to see him flinch away visably. He stared long and hard at the boy, causing him to finally relax. He worked his jaw to speak, but he found himself unsure what to say or how to put his emotions.  
"...N-No." He admitted truthfully and quietly after a moment. "I'm not..."  
Eren turned to look at him, awestruck. Never before had Levi actually admitted feeling depressed, if at all admitting he was feeling something he considered worth sharing.  
"Is it-?" Eren asked but he didn't need to even finish his sentance as he looked at the badges.

Levi said nothing for a moment, tilting his head back towards the surface of the table. Eren scooted closer slightly, staring at the floor in a similar fashion, his lips pulled into a small unhappy frown.  
Levi gritted his teeth before pounding his fist on the table, bending over it ever more in frustration. Eren jumped at the loud sound, before turning to see the man shaking.  
"It-it... it feels like they're still here." He said quietly, almost inaudibly, his voice cracking.  
"I know." Eren replied after a moment.

Levi said nothing in response, taking one of the badges and rubbing his calaused fingers along one ridged, broken-seamed side. Thunder boomed loudly out on the horizon, and the glass shuddered in it's frame as rain continued to pound angrily down on it.  
But otherwise the room was silent.

"It's my fault." He said. "I-I should've stayed... I could've stopped it from ever happening."  
"Don't say that!" Eren burst angrily, causing Levi to turn and gaze at him in surprise. "If anything it was my fault! I was half the reason the entire mission was compromised, and if I'd made my choice in time I would've been able to save them!"  
Levi stared at the teen in disbelief before his face fell. A tear began to meander it's way down his cheek as his breath shook and his mouth remained propped open slightly to speak. He closed it quickly, raising a hand to wipe the stray tear away.  
Eren reached out unbelieavably fast, snatching his wrist before he could do so. He looked the older man straight in the eyes.

"Don't blame yourself."  
"And... well, what if I do?" Levi responded shakily, wrenching his wrist from the teen's unbelievably strong grip.  
Eren paused, his hand falling to his lap. He looked at his Corporal, gaurdian and friend for a moment, pondering what to say.

After a moment, Eren leaned forward and wrapped his arms around him. Levi's eyes flew wide as his jaw dropped open, unsure of what to do, unused to such close human comfort after so long, the most recent being many years ago before his first loss. He went stiff, unsure of what to do.  
Eren finally answered, his chin balanced on Levi's head, his height over the man making it easy.  
"Then let it out."

Levi was still frozen for a few minutes, before he finally let his chest relax and let out a shaky breath. He bit his lip, his eyes narrowing as tears began to fill them and stream down his face as constantly as the rain pounding on the muddy ground outside. He took in a high pitched breath, before he let out a sob in return. His chest heaved and he buried his head in Eren's shoulder and he continued to sob, letting the tears run freely.  
Eren sat, not saying anything as Levi mourned. He turned to the box, gently opening it to see a dainty little ring inside. He flipped over the badge gently, as to not disturb Levi, to see a name scrawled lazily on the backside.  
'Petra Ral' it said in big loopy letters.

He flipped it back over and wrapped his arm back around Levi until he stopped crying. After a long while his breathing slowed, only shaking occasionaly, and he went limp. Eren backed away slightly to find him asleep. He picked Levi up easily and walked him to his room, setting him on the bed before leaving.  
He placed the box on the nightstand.

And quietly, he left.

Because he knew that Levi already had more than enough angels to watch over him.


	4. Chapter 4

A boy stood at the water's edge, his knees weak and shaky, his arms tired, his lungs worn out. He could feel the presence of three of his friends. Sasha opened her mouth to speak, he knew he could hear her voice crack, but she closed it quickly. Connie was for once not as energetic as his usually was, his voice silent as he too felt just as worn. He felt Jean's hand on his shoulder.  
"You think you're gonna be okay?" He heard Jean say.

He nodded, biting his lip and feeling his cheeks grow round as he frowned. His eyes grew moist. He fell to his knees, the shockingly cold water splashing about him, causing the white pants of his uniform to become grey. He took in a deep breath of the salty air, surprisingly thick and noticable, letting the small breeze blow his chin length blonde hair. He felt his lower lip tremble as he sat on his heels in the water, not caring if his uniform was wet.

His caucisan blue eyes flitted over the changing surface of the water, the deep blues turning into turqiouse and then a bright light green, and then back to that dark-grey blue again. White foam broke over each tumbling wave, crashing onto the sandy shore, the rare recource now stretching for miles in every direction until cliffs and rocks broke into the water like peirs for the animals that had already resided there, birds nested in their nooks and crannies.  
Wiry grey-green and yellow grass waved in the wind gently, as if motioning a quick 'hello' back to the waters that waved at them.

The boy felt a smile grow on his face.  
"It's the ocean." He said quietly. "It's- it's really..."  
"Yeah, it is." Jean said quietly, seemingly the only one able to find words in that moment. Not even the Corporal, who was standing atop the hill not too far away, said anything.  
He worked his jaw to speak, before letting out a simple sigh.  
"Why was it us?" The boy finally said. He could sense Jean's face tilt into one of confusion, Sasha and Connie glancing at each other.

"We're like... twenty three now. But it's just us. Why did it have to be us?" He said this bitterly, as if the words tasted bad on his tongue. "...Just us?"  
Connie finally spoke. "I thought you wanted to see the ocean." He said stiffly, uncertainly.  
The boy nodded softly, rising to his feet.  
"Yeah, I did." He spoke quietly. "I really did, then, huh?"  
"But, it's the ocean! No one's ever seen this before! Shouldn't you at least be sort of happy?" He heard Sasha speak for once as well.  
"I am." The boy said. "I just feel like something's missing, you know?"  
"I know." Sasha said. "Just don't think about it. Enjoy yourself for no, okay?" Her attention turned from her sullen squad-mate to the sandy floor they stood on. "Look at all these little rocks! They look like snail shells! Isn't that cool?"

The day continued on like that, Sasha and Connie leading the group along the shore, hands full of rocks and shells, and the boy followed in suit while Jean and Corporal Levi walked slowly behind. When the day began to grow short, the small group trudged up a hill and headed back to the small camp were the other squads were, cooking and cleaning and laughing and building small huts as if nothing was the matter.

The boy though, not touching the small flower crown Sasha had placed on his head, or dropping the shells balanced precariously in his arms, walked off into the woods alone. He could still smell the saltiness of the ocean even deep into the decidous trees as they hung over his head, but still he marched on. He promised himself he would meet them one last time before heading back.

After a few minutes, he finally came to a clearing in the woods and let out a sigh. The fresh salty air felt like some uncanny heaven to him, but he was not happy. Not really. He sat down, cross legged, dumping the shells on the ground in front of him and leaning back, relaxing his shoulders.

"It's really pretty." He finally spoke. The silence of the still woods were broken as he said this, the words sounding strange and alien and uncomfortable on his tongue, knowing he would be the only one to speak.  
"It's everything I thought it would be." He said. "Just like in the book, when we were all kids."  
There was no response. He knew there wouldn't be any.  
"And Levi actually smiled today too. And Jean, he and I couldn't stop talking about it, you know? He knew I had the book, he knew since we were cadets in the 104th. The banned book. I never thought that it'd be me to have one of those. A book about the outside world. And I think Sasha and Connie liked it too. I think they did a lot. Sasha was really happy, because we went fishing and we're all gonna have a big dinner tonight, and Connie caught one! It was pretty big, but funny thing is, he ended up losing it."

The boy laughed to himself, before his face fell.  
"I really wish that you could see it, you know?" He spoke softly, his eyes falling to the grassy ground before him, fresh toiled dirt sifting through it. "It's so big Eren. Your eyes could almost be the same color. I'm pretty sure Mikasa would've had to stop you from jumping in. I should have. And we found the most beautiful flowers, Mikasa! All sorts of colors. Red, and orange and purple. I like the blue ones best. I should've brought you some. I know you'd love them. You both would."

He let out a shaky sigh. "I'm done now. We're going to be sending back groups to get people to come live here, since it's safe and there aren't any Titans. You hear that Eren? They're all gone. Just-just like you wanted, huh?"  
He sniffed, taking the crown off his head and setting it on one of the small stick crosses standing in front of him.  
"Here Mikasa. I think that there's a few flowers like the ones I said in this. To trade." He ran his hand over the frayed maroon scarf the girl had always worn. Beneath it was a small copper key on a string, something Eren had always worn. He pushed the shells forward to the other cross.  
"I'm not going to come back." He said quietly. "So I thought I would just say goodbye. One-one last time."

He heard another voice calling for him, and he rushed to hs feet. "That's my cue. They're probably looking for me. I-I should go." He said again.  
"Armin! Come on, it's time to go! The horses are ready!"  
"Coming!" He shouted quickly, before turning back to the two small crosses. "I really wish you two could see it. You would love it. I wish you had..."

He let out a solemn, shaky sniff.  
"Bye guys. See you again, someday."

And with that the boy left the two crosses in the woods, overlooking the rocky crevices that fell into the ocean. Just as they had wished to be finally laid at rest.

And over the years, the grave-markers rotted away and fell apart. The flowers wilted and the shells were slowly taken away by animals.

But the boy never forgot his two best friends.

He never ever would.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'll see You Next Time**

It hurt. It hurt him so much, it simply hollowed him out inside. He knew she was dying.  
Mikasa was dying.

He wasn't sure how it had happened at this point, but to him it didn't even matter at all, since he knew she was already too far gone. And from the look on her face, it was apparent she knew too. Her thin pale fingers were interlaced with his, and she gripped his hand as tightly as she could, but the red staining both of their palms made it hard to keep a tight hold.  
"I want us to meet again. We'll find each other." She said. The way she said it sounded like a promise.  
He shook his head. How could that be possible. How, in the name of anything left in the world that was still pure and holy, would he be able to get a break?  
"In another life, we'll meet, yeah?" She said, looking at him, blood plastering the raven black hair framing her face to her forehead. "We'll be brother and sister, just like old times." Her dark eyes bored into his own sea green, and he knew that she would keep that promise.

He finally found the courage to speak.  
"Don't think about later. Okay? I want you to think about now. Right now. You hear me?" He whispered, but his voice was cracking from the tears already tumbling down his cheeks.  
There was a long pause of him simply sitting there on his knees, her hand encased in his.  
She finally spoke, her chest heaving.  
"So... this is what a beach is like?" She breathed shakily, looking around from were she lay, her hair splayed out in the sand. "It's a-it's a shame Armin couldn't last long enough to see it."  
He nodded, more tears streaming down his face as the memory of his only other childhood friend resurfaced.

She let out a gasp, sqweezing harder.  
"I don't have a lot of time left, okay? I want you to run. I want you to get out of here."  
"No, Mikasa, I'm staying right here."  
"Eren. Please, for me. Leave. Please, f-f-find the rest of the group, if there's anyone left, and go back home."  
"Mikasa-"  
"Eren, _please_!"

Her shout stirred him from his blank, helpless state.  
"We'll see each other next time, right? Just promise to remember, and I'll see you next time."

And then her hand went limp in his grip.

And for the first time, she died.

 _ **OOOOO**_

He always remembered.  
That had been the first time, and he never ever forgot those words. The words she would see through to saying _every single time_ following, even if it always varied, she got the message through.

Next time. She would see him next time.

The second time, they were somewere safe, somewere were they could live happily. She was his adoptive sister, and he loved that, because it was the way it had been before. They were peasants working for a noble, someone from the first lifetime, and they both worked the land well, because in the first lifetime they had both thought of how much they would prefer to live in peace, rather than the carnage and gore they had unknowingly chosen. After a year or so of being a teen, he was summoned to the noble and worked there, instead of out in the fields with his beloved sister.  
But sickness sweapt across the land, and she fell ill. He was only granted one chance to visit her, before she began to cough up blood and shake.  
"Next time." She said. "Next time."  
And then, as previously, her hand fell limp in his.  
And for the second time, she died.

The third time, they had been two dancers in the height of the Renissance. She was the most graceful of them all, and most well known. She would travel the world and people would flock to see her graceful movements across the wide spread of the stage. He would dance in the background, while she took the limelight, but they would always sit together when there was time, and talk, and share stories.  
But, back behind stage before one of the bigger shows, a strange man showed up. Knife in hand, he demanded the money of all those backstage, and of course, she stood up. She put up a fight, but the knife found it's way to her side, and once again she lay bleeding on the floor.  
"Next time, dear friend." She choked. "Next time."  
And for the third time, she died.

The fourth time, they were in a British suburban family, and he worked at an industrial plant that worked to produce automobiles. He took his work well, but she often traveled, since she was a painter. He would often write to her, and she would write back just as quickly. The two spent as much time together as possible, and she did her best to stay close, but the gallaries always demanded her presence. One day, she had come home. She had decided to surprise him at work, only to find he was out. So she waited.  
But an accident with the propane tanks didn't end well.  
As her burnt body was pulled form the wreckage, she coughed, and grabbed his hand like before.  
"See you next time, Eren." She sighed.  
And for the fourth time, she died.

The fifth time, she was a lone country girl who lived on a big plantation. He was a nieghboring child, on a similar stretch of land, and the two would often play together in the fields. As they got older they would once again talk about the previous lives they had lived, and they would always stay close. She promised not to let him get hurt, and he swore the same for her.  
Yet, one night there was news that the plantation she lived on had been rioted, and the house had been ransacked. In the middle of the night, he rushed over to find her sprawled in the green grassy yard, beat and bloodied. He gripped her hand.  
"Next time, Eren. I promise, next time."  
And for the fifth time, she died.

The sixth time, he didn't find her until he was an American soldier, fighting for the rights of those in Europe who were denied it. World War Two was an impressive feat indeed, and he would stop at nothing to fight for his cause. He saw her in a line of Japanese suspects, since she was Japanese in the first place. He was supposed to protect them while escorting them to be interoggated on the Axis Powers, but a group of rebelious citizens resorted to throwing rocks and glass at the poor group.  
She was struck in the head with a brick, and several more times with stray sharp objects that had gone sailing through the air.  
And as he rushed forward to grab her hand, like before, he whispered 'hi again', and she said 'hi' back, before she gasped.  
"N-next t-t-time." She choked. "I'll s-see you n-n-next t-time."  
And for the sixth time, she died.

The seventh time, she was a bartender, and they finally met when he'd walked in after a rough day at work. He was a journalist, and she was the swanky bartender. Of course, they got along quite well, he would sit at the bar and talk about the world, while she would scrub the counter clean or serve customers. Some nights he would walk her home, and they both loved that, because it meant they could spend more time together.  
He came into the bar as usual one late night, and the party was in full swing. Customers swung lazily on the dance floor, bumping into each other and spilling drinks. It was when a small group pulled out their guns, things didn't end well. The next thing he knew, bullets were whizzing through the air and Mikasa was gripping her heart in shock.  
As he held her hand, she whispered again.  
"Next time. I'll make sure that there's a next time, okay?"  
And for the seventh time, she died.

The eigth time, he was a biologist. He remembered as clear as day, and he searched the world for her, until one day he finally found her Facebook. Of course, he was exctatic, and she was too, and the two met up in Montana. He was driving, telling her about a new project he had, when the ice grew slick all of the sudden, and the car swerved off the road and into the shallow lake.  
And as he managed to pull her weak and shivering body onto the pebbly winter shore, she whispered.  
"Next time Eren. I'll find you next time."  
And for the eigth time, she died.

The ninth time, he was a soldier again. And she was too. They were both placed in an elite team of special elected forces. Much to both of their surprise, they met many old friends in the group, friends from the first life, the true life. They had the time of their lives, and by far it was the best life he had lived.  
And yet, when the bomb went off, and the other team operatives went spiraling into nothingness, he was left gripping her hand in the middle of the desert, alone.

She looked at him straight in the eye, the way she had the first time, and she mustered up a smile.  
"I'm glad you did it." She said. "And you never forget, okay?"  
"Mikasa..." He whispered helplessly, staring. A lump had formed in his throat and tears were threatening to spill over his hot and dusty cheeks.

She gripped his burnt hand hard.  
"Next time." She said, her face set and determined. "I promise. Next time, we'll live a full life together as family."  
"But-"  
"Next time." She urged. "I-I-I-I promise...o-o-okay?"

And he finally let the tears fall over his cheeks.  
"Mikasa, you know-"  
"I know." She said. "I k-know. But I'll make sure there is a next time."  
"Mikasa, please..."  
"Next time." She whispered, her breath fading, her voice shifting away. "Next... time..."  
And her hand went limp in his, and he leaned forward and cried into her hair.

And for the ninth time, she died.

And still, he cried. He cried harder than he had ever before.

Because there was no more next time.


	6. Chapter 6

The forest was quiet, stars shining down on a small clearing. A herd of deer grazed there peacefully, the long grass nearly obscuring them from view, wildflowers dancing in a near non-existent breeze.

The only thing breaking the peaceful silence was the soft footfalls of a giant. It was female, hardly any skin at all. The muscles on her legs were a soft pink, bare feet unminding to anything she would have stepped on, the grass almost serving as a carpet. Her arms swung at her sides, the sinew on the backs of her hands working gently as she knelt to pat the head of one of the deer. Small bits of cartilage stuck from her stomach, covering her chest and shoulders bending and constrcting as she moved across the field.

The skin on her face was pale, and glowed under the glare of the half moon, and her wide blue eyes taking in every miniscule detail. Her face was relaxed; and a small, delicate smile graced it. The small change was hardly visable from behind the sheet of blonde hair obsuring her from the world, the ragged, stringy tips brushing her shoulders.  
Since it was night, she only had a few more hours until her bodily functions slowed down, putting her into some form of hibernation. She worked like a flower, powered by the sun and taking in the world by night.

Her thoughts danced back to previously that day. She had found a small house, and she'd removed the roof. She didn't know why, but she loved to dig through old houses and find interesting things inside.  
However, she'd nearly been caught by some of the humans. She'd gotten away though, they'd only seen her, and for a long moment they'd stared before she ran off into the forest again. Digging through houses and following the amusing little humans was her only pleasure, and she wasn't quite sure what she did in her spare time in the woods, most of it was fuzzy memories.

She did love nights like these though, because she knew that he would be nearby.

She stood and looked over to were the lake shone under the moonlight, the still water lapping against a dirt shore. It wasn't often that humans came to her little paradise, but when they did, they would spend hours sitting on the shore with sticks and strings cast into the water, in little fabric houses and strange horse-less wagons. But they always left, and it was always a long time until any more came.

There was a rustling in the brush, and she turned, realizing her herd of deer had moved on. In it's place, he was there. Tall and strong, thick tan skin untouched by the cold of the winter. He would come around on nights like these, and she loved it, because for once, she had true company. As he drew closer she could see him better. He was so inhumanly strong, he could probably lift hundreds of thousands of pounds easy, but she was strong too. She could make out his face under the mop of dark brown, oily hair. The disfigured jaw opened as he let out a grumble in greeting. He had bright green eyes that glowed slightly when it was dark, but they stayed dim the sun most of the time, so it was strange looking at them. He had a long, narrow nose and a chiseled chin, thick shoulders and ragged, overgrown hair.

She always loved when he came, because her cold world would warm up.

She began to walk slowly over to the large oak tree at the edge of the clearing, and sat down, facing the lake. He came and sat next to her, but there was no exchange of words. For each of them, they were too large to properly make out words, even if the puny little humans could. To them, worlds were growls and grunts and roars, but most of the time they were just silent. He was always talking though. He would turn and growl, a deep rumbling in the back of his throat.  
' _How was your day?_ ' Was what this meant to them both.  
She let out a small whine in return, and shrugged.  
' _Okay._ '  
He yawned, and stretched his long, strong, knobby arms in the air, before leaning against the thick trunk of the tree and putting his hands behind his head. He grunted, a bit of steam erupting from his mouth.  
' _It's getting late._ '  
She pointed up, and made a few light clicking noises.  
' _But the stars are really bright tonight. Can't we stay up just a bit longer?_ '  
He shrugged a bit, and looked over. She was staring at the sky silently, her hand absentmindedly tearing at the grass as her hand ran over it, right in front of her crossed legs.

For a long time, they both stared at the sky. The stars shone like diamonds and other precious stones, lighting up the world with a silvery glow.

She finally leaned back, sitting next to him. Her eyes began to fall shut, and she was about to fall asleep when he let out a quick grumble.  
' _Look._ '

She opened her eyes, and from the shelter of the oak tree they could see a horse-less wagon pull into the deep grass on the far end of the clearing, near the lake. A pair of people got out, and they spoke quietly.  
She didn't know that many human words, but she could make out what the context of the conversation was. The humans were looking for them.  
She shrugged, and looked over, seeing him eyeing the little things curiously. She let her eyes begin to fall shat again, but then his warm hand tapped her shoulder. She opened her eyes yet again with a deep sigh to follow his pointing finger. He quickly retracted it.

Standing a few hundred feet away was the pair of humans. They were staring, wide eyed and curious. He stared right back, and she made a small clicking sound in the back of her throat again.  
' _They're so tiny._ '  
He grumbled, leaning forward.  
' _Pretty weird, huh?_ '  
She let out a groan.  
' _Just go to sleep and maybe they'll go away._ '  
She closed her eyes again and leaned back once more. He soon followed in suit, and her world faded into blackness.

When she awoke in the morning, the humans were gone. And as just like every night before, he was gone too.

And once again she stood, waded through the grass and drifted through the woods, waiting until another cloudless night came, and they could meet again.


End file.
